UNDATED (AP) - Saint Mary's has won the West Coast Conference tournament to earn an automatic berth in the NCAA tourney, defeating 24th-ranked Gonzaga 78-74 in overtime. Virginia Commonwealth, Loyola of Maryland and Davidson also won their conference tourneys to reach the NCAAs. VCU nipped Drexel 59-56 in the Colonial Athletic Association title game, Loyola captured the MAAC (mak) crown with a 48-44 triumph over Fairfield and Davidson needed double overtime to beat Western Carolina and take the Southern Conference.
UNDATED (AP) -Kentucky, Syracuse and Kansas are the top three teams in the AP men's basketball poll. The Wildcats picked up 63 first-place votes and the Orange claimed two after both teams improved to 30-1. North Carolina is fourth, followed by Missouri, Duke, Ohio State, Michigan State, Marquette and Michigan.
UNDATED (AP) - St. Louis Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams met with NFL investigators yesterday about the big-money bounty program he ran while holding the same position with the New Orleans Saints. An NFL investigation found Williams and between 22 and 27 defensive players on the Saints maintained a bounty system for inflicting injuries on targeted players. The investigation concluded that Saints general manager Mickey Loomis and head coach Sean Payton did nothing to prevent it, even after owner Tom Benson was alerted of the pool by the NFL last year and asked Loomis to put a stop to it.
HOUSTON (AP) - Arian Foster has a new contract, two years after leading the NFL in rushing yards. Foster's five-year package is worth up to $43.5 million, with $20.75 million guaranteed. The undrafted Foster ran for 1,224 yards and 10 touchdowns last season after rushing for 1,616 yards in 2010.
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) - The Buffalo Bills have signed receiver Stevie Johnson to a five-year, $36.25 million contract extension, a week before he was to become a free agent. Johnson had 76 receptions last season while becoming the first player in team history to record consecutive 1,000-yard receiving campaigns. He has 170 catches for 2,189 yards and 19 touchdowns in 48 NFL games.
